I own a fair number of cameras - too many, in fact. I've been in the process of paring down my collection, and am probably just a few over the right number for my "stable". Aside from a couple of sentimental or display pieces, I'm not so much a collector as a photographer who uses a variety of gear. My working cameras run the gamut from antique to "vintage" to newer models made in the 1990s through the present. If you have some old cameras on hand - perhaps handed down from older family members - and have wondered if there's any life in them, then this article is for you!

One of the most frequent comments I hear when out shooting my film cameras is: "I didn't know you could even still buy film!" Or it's phrased in question form as in the title of this article: "Do they even still make film for that?" (Interestingly, Millennials are more likely to express genuine interest and respect for film usage than people of my own generation and older.) I'm occasionally tempted to say something along the lines of "No, I just like to pretend I'm taking photos with this old camera." But of course I don't do that because I'm not a snob.

A 35mm Konica FS-1, introduced in 1979. I'm a big Konica fan, and this model is one of my current favorites. It was one of the first SLR cameras to feature a motor drive for advancing film. You do have to rewind the film manually, however. Konica lenses are still widely recognized as high quality.

The simple answer to the question is "Yes" - a thousand times yes! Film has most certainly become a niche market but it's not gone away even if it is less visible to the general public. While "Who Uses Film Today?" could be its own blog entry, suffice it to say that today's film market caters to significantly more people than senior citizens who don't want to mess with new-fangled, digital kerjiggers. Certainly such customers constitute a shrinking but important demographic of film users. But today's film shooters include teenagers, college students, artists, everyday adult hobbyists and even some professionals who use film exclusively or as one component of their photographic arsenal. There are also a number well-known TV and movie producers who prefer the aesthetics of film and choose to shoot mainstream features using old-school film reels.

Film is admittedly harder to find in traditional retail outlets. It's out there, but you may have to look a bit harder to find it. I can usually find a small stock of popular film at Walmart or the local Walgreens (our local Walgreens has it nearly hidden behind the photo service counter). Typically these stores will stock Fuji Superia 200 and 400 speed 35mm films - both of which are great consumer films. CVS stores sometimes carry a bit more in the way of selection, although they seem to have scaled back their selection in the past year or so. Of course if you're fortunate enough to have an old school camera shop still open in your community, you may find a decent local selection there. (If you're in the Knoxville area, check out Thompson Photo.) Other retail outlets are hit or miss, but film hasn't disappeared entirely from store shelves - at least not yet.

Two rolls of 120 film I shot yesterday at a photography meetup event in Knoxville: Kodak Ektar and Kodak Portra. Also called medium format film, 120 has been around for over a century and is still popular among photography enthusiasts. 120 film frames can be several times larger than 35mm negatives, and due to the larger size it yields detailed and beautiful scans.

So where do you find the biggest selection of films? It's the same place where many of us buy everything from books to electronics to toilet paper: the Internet, of course! One convenient place to buy film is Amazon. The prices are usually competitive, and many of their offerings are covered by their Prime membership; assuming you're a Prime member, you get free, 2-day shipping on a huge selection of films.

If you're looking for the best prices on black & white films (and related chemistry and supplies for developing your own), I recommend Freestyle Photographic Supplies. Another great source for a huge variety of films - including a growing number of hand-rolled specialty films you won't find anywhere else - is the Film Photography Project. Their prices are competitive and their shipping is priced at actual cost. The FPP features a fun and informative bi-weekly podcast, along with other great content on their website. I'm a huge fan of the show.

The chances are good that if you own an old camera you can find film for it. Common film formats, including 35mm and 120 (aka medium format), are widely available in a variety of types. Even the humble 110 film has returned to the market several years after production had been halted. Depending on the format of the film you need, you may still be able to choose between regular color print film, slide film or black & white. Unfortunately, some films are gone and unlikely to return; these types include disc film and APS film (you can still buy remaining APS film online even though production stopped in 2011).

Before I close, let me clear up a common misapprehension about Kodak. Contrary to popular belief, Kodak film is still being produced and sold. While Kodak proper is no longer in the consumer film business, Kodak sold off that division to another company, now known as Kodak Alaris. The new owner has publicly affirmed their commitment to continuing the existing product line. That means you can still buy a wide assortment of fresh Kodak film. In fact, I regularly use Kodak Portra, Kodak Ektar, Kodak Tri-X, Kodak T-Max and even the occasional Kodak Gold and Ultramax consumer films.

In a nutshell, you can still buy film for a large number of old cameras. And with continued usage and support, these companies hopefully will produce beautiful films for years to come. In a future article, we'll take a closer look at the different types of film in production today.